Combined can opener and dispenser for oil, antifreeze material, and the like



Sept. 27, 1938- 1. P. TAYLOR ET AL I 2,131,233

COMBINED CAN OPENER AND DISPENSER FOR OIL, ANTIFREEZE MATERIAL, AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 14, 1938 Red 6.15 ai/es,

Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES COMBINED CAN OPENER AND DISPENSER FOR OIL, ANTIFREEZE MATERIAL, AND

THE LIKE Irving Paul Taylor and Fred G. Bates, Highland Park, Mich.

Application January14, 1938, Serial No. 184,978

12 Claims.

This invention relates to combined can openers and dispensers, which are particularly adapted for use in opening cans of oil or anti-freeze material at service stations, but which may be used for other purposes.

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood, we have shown a single embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the combined can opener and dispenser as applied to the upper end of a sealed can;

Fig. 2 is a view, mainly in vertical section and upon a larger scale, of the can opener and dispenser in use;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section upon the irregular dotted line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail showing, in face View, one of the downwardly extending cutting portions of the can opener instrumentality; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the top of the can after the same has been opened in accordance with our invention.

So far as we are aware, there is not upon the market an entirely practical combined can opener and dispenser that can be economically manufactured and is of such rugged construction as to stand the inevitable hard use to which such an appliance is necessarily subjected.

As is well known, automobile oil, anti-freezes and the like are obtained by service stations, garages and the like, in a sealed condition, so that it is necessary to pierce the cover or top of the can before the contents can be dispensed. A mere can opener is not satisfactory for the purpose, because after opening the can, it is necessary to lay down the can opener and then to apply a funnel or dispenser to the top of the can. This requires additional time and renders it necessary to provide as separate articles a can opener and a dispensing device.

While it has heretofore been proposed to combine a can opener with a dispensing element, a thoroughly practical article has not heretofore been provided so far as we are aware.

We will proceed to describe the preferred embodiment of our invention without, however, limiting our invention thereto further than is set forth in the claims.

The can, the contents of which are to be dispensed, is indicated at l in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. It is provided with a cover 2 that is sealed in some suitable manner to the body of the can, as diagrammatically indicated at 3 in Fig. 2 Such cans are of sheet metal of such degree of thinness that the cover or top can be pierced by an opener provided with a relatively sharp opening point or points, upon the application of sufficient force or downward pressure. The combined canopener and dispenser, as herein shown, is provided with a cap 4 preferably of rubber orsome like or satisfactory flexible material that may be placed over the top of the can, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. If the cans are not all of a standard size, it is evident that the cap 2, being somewhat expansible, can be fitted down tightly over different sizes of cans.

Suitably secured with the upper tubular portion of the rubber cap 4 is a preferably very strong metallic tube 5, within the upper end of which is also suitably secured the dispensing element or flexible tube 6, which is desirably formed of a relatively thin metal strip which is constructed as a coil or spiral, and so thoroughly coated or japanned that the oil or other liquid being dispensed will not leak through thewall thereof. The tube 6 at the end indicated at l in Fig. 1, is of such form or shape that it may be readily applied to the oil receiving openings of the engine,

etc., or, if anti-freeze materiaLto the radiator after the removal of the radiator cap. Obviously, the device is so constructed that it may be used for other purposes, and in such case the liquid or partial liquid contents will be poured into the proper receptacle or place in an obvious manner. The lower end of the metallic tube 9, which, as stated, is strongly secured in any suitable manner into the neck of the rubber cap 4, is cut away, preferably upon opposite sides, as indicated at 8-8 in Fig. 2, so as to provide draining points for the liquid. The number of openings 8 may be varied within the scope of our invention, but we have found the provision of two such cutaway portions to be very effective.

We have represented at 9 in Figs. 2 and 3 the parts of the tube 5 between the cut-away portions 8. These should be of sufiicient extent in circumferential direction to avoid all danger ofbreakage.

Below the cut-out openings or draining points 8 the said metallic tube 5 is preferably of full diameter, as indicated at ill in Fig. 2. Preferably, also, the said lower end Ill of the tube 5 is externally threaded, as indicated at H for the reception of the two lock nuts l2 and i3 which receive between them the cutting element, generally indicated at l4 in Fig. 3. The said cutting element is desirably formed as a metallic member of verysubstantial thickness, as indicated in Fig. 2, and of considerable width, as indicated in Fig. 3. The mid portion of said member is flat or horizontal, as indicated at E5 in Figs. 2 and 3, and is provided with a large opening desirably internally threaded as indicated in Fig. 2, so that it may be threaded onto the lower threaded end ill of the tube 5. The lock nuts 12 and 13 are positioned one above and one below the said horizontal portion l5 of the cutting member 14.

Preferably both ends of the cutting member [4 are down turned or inclined, as indicated at l6,

I! in Figs. 2 and 3, so as to provide relatively sharp points l9, 2!] and beveled side cutting edges 2 l 22, best indicated in Fig. 3. It will be observed that the inner surface 23 of the rubber cap contacts with the upper face of the cutting element.

This may be effected in any suitable manner, as,

for example, by forming longitudinally extend ing ribs, indicated at 23, spaced at intervals around the inner surface of the said rubbercap. This permits the proper application of pressure not only directly through the tube 5, but also through the interior face of the rubber cap '4 onto the upper face of the cutting element Id at suitable points, as, for example, substantially where the parts l6, I! start to diverge downwardly.

While. the cutting end or ends of the cutting element may be of any suitable shape, they are preferably substantially triangular, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

In using the combined can opener and dispenser, the device is positioned preferably over the upper end of the can, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and the necessary downward pressure is applied to the device, so that the points l9, 2'0 penetrate the top of the can, as indicated at 24, 25 in Figs. 2 and 5, at suitable points, which are desirably near the upright wall of the can, but which may be elsewhere if desired. The downward pressure on the device is continued until openings 24, 25 of sufiicient size are formed to permit the dispensing of the liquid contents. For dispensing the contents, the can is inverted with the rubber 4 still in the applied position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the contents flow out through the openings 24, 25 in the top of the can, thence finding their way both through the lower open end of the tube 5, ID, as well as past the sides of the elements l5, l6, H into the dispensing openings 8-8, and thence to the place of use.

The lower end of the rubber cap 4 fits tightly about the edge or perimeter of the can I, so as to prevent any leakage of the contents of the can, notwithstanding any extreme angle to which the can and dispenser may be tipped in employing the contents.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention' being set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a combined can opener and dispenser for liquids comprising a dispensing member adapted to be pressed onto the outer surface of the can, and having a pouring tube in liquid-pouring communication with said member, and a transversely extending can opener member positioned within said dispensing member and directly carried by the pouring tube of the dispensing member and provided with a can-penetrating edge or edges, the said can opener member being positioned in such proximity to the lower edge of the dispensing member that the act of pressing said dispensing member firmly onto the surface of the can, causes the said edge or edges of the said opener member to penetrate the can and provide a dispensing opening or openings.

2. A new article of manufacture in accordance with claim 1, but wherein the said transversely extending can opener member is provided with one or more downwardly directed canpenetrating pointed formations.

3. A new article of manufacture in accordance with claim 1, but wherein lock nuts are provided to secure the can opener member onto the lower end of the saidpouring tube.

4. A new article of manufacture in accordance with claim 1, but wherein the can opener member is provided with an opening by which it may be received upon the lower end of the said pouring tube, and wherein means are provided to secure the said can opener member fixedly onto said tube.

5. A new article of manufacture in accordance with claim 1, but wherein the said dispensing member is flexible and is shaped to fit upon an end of the can, and wherein the said transversely extending can opener member is provided with two opposite, downwardly extending, canpenetrating, pointed ends that, when the device is pressed firmly down onto the upper end of the can, penetrate the top of the can at two opposite areas substantially close to the upright wall of the can.

6. A new article of manufacture in accordance with claim 1, but wherein the said dispensing member is flexible and is shaped to fit tightly upon an end of the can so as to prevent leakage of the can contents, notwithstanding extreme tipping of the can and dispensing member in use.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a combined can opener and dispenser for liquids comprising a dispensing member adapted to be pressed onto the outer 'surface of the can, and having a pouring tube in liquid-pouring communication with said member, and a transversely extending can opener member provided with a middle portion that is directly secured to the lower end of the said pouring tube and with opposite downwardly extending can penetrating portions having sharpened edges for can penetration, the said can opener member being positioned in such proximity to the lower edge of the dispensing member that the act of pressing said dispensing member firmly onto the surface of the can causes the said edge or edges of said opener member to penetrate the can and provide a dispensing opening or openings.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a combined can opener and dispenser for liquids comprising a dispensing member adapted to be pressed onto the outer surface of the can, and having a pouring tube in liquid-pouring communcation with said member, and a transversely extending can opener member directly supported upon the said pouring tube, the lower part of the wall of said pouring tube being partly removed to afford additional draining facilities so that the can contents may pass into the pouring tube along both the upper and lower surfaces of said transversely extending can opener member, the latter being provided with a downwardly directed can-penetrating edge or edges.

9. As a new article of manufacture, a combined can opener and dispenser for liquids comprising .a dispensing member, the lower end of which is of sufiiciently enlarged diameter to fit over the outer end of a can or container to be opened, a pouring tube distinct from but mounted within the said dispensing member and having its lower end extending sufliciently downward within said dispensing member to be clear at its lower end from the inner wall of said dispensing member, and a transversely extending can opener member supported upon said clear end of said pouring tube and provided with a can-penetrating edge or edges, said transversely extending can opener member being positioned in such proximity to the lower edge of the dispensing member that the act of pressing said dispensing member firmly onto the surface of the can causes the said edge or edges of said can opener member to penetrate the can and provide a dispensing opening or openings.

10. A new article of manufacture in accordance with claim 9, but wherein the said transversely extending member is threaded onto the lower clear end of said pouring tube.

11. A new article of manufacture in accordance with claim 9, but wherein the said transversely extending can opener member is adapted to be directly supported upon the lower clear end of said pouring tube, and cooperating means to secure the said transversely extending member in fixed position.

12. As a new article of manufacture, a combined can openerand dispenser for liquids comprising a dispensing member of rubber or like flexible material adapted to be fitted tightly onto an end of the can or container to be opened, a metallic pouring tube mounted within the'upper end of said dispensing member,the lower end of said pouring tube extending sufficiently downi wardly into the interior of the said dispensing member to be clear at its lower end of the inner wall of said dispensing member, and a transversely extending can opener member directly carried by the said clear end of said pouring tube and provided with a can-penetrating edge or edges.

IRVING PAUL TAYLOR.

FRED G. BATES. 

